Combined wagon box and rack



March 27, 1951 PODNAR 2,546,519

COMBINED WAGON BOX AND RACK FiledMarch 51, 1947 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. MIKEPODNAR March 27, 1951 -M. PODNAR COMBINED WAGON BOX AND RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1947 INVENTOR. M IKE Po NAR 5% 40 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED WAGON BOX AND BACK Mike Podnar, Ankeny, Iowa Application March 31, 1947, Serial No. 738,366

- 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improved wagon or truck beds in which the sides are hinged to the bed bottom to swing from a closed upright position to form a tight box for the transportation of small grain and like, toan open horizonal position, to form a rack for hauling lighter and more bulky material such as loose or baled hay or straw.

The object of my invention is to provide a single wagon or truck bed which will serve the purpose of either a compact and tight box for hauling heavy and small material such as small grain and the like; or which may be converted to a rack for hauling more bulky and lighter material such as hay or straw, either baled or loose without the necessity of changing boxes or bed, as is the usual practice at the present time, to enable the wagon or truck to be adapted to either purpose.

A further object of my invention is to provide 'a' combination wagon box and rack of simple and rigid construction which may be easily and quickly changed from a box to a rack or vice versa without the useof tools or other apparatus other than a wrench such as is owned by all wagon or truck owners.

' Another object of my invention is to provide in a combined wagon box and rackstructure, embodying a frame having a fixed fioor and. hinged side members, improved means for hinging the side members to the frame, and for locking them in either of their adjusted positions without obstructing the loading or unloading of the material to be hauled.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a wagon box structure of the type above described, improved means for reinforcing the free edges of the side members when in operative position. 1

1 My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l isa front perspective view of my improved combined wagon box and rack having its sides in position to form a rack and illustrating the manner that the frame forming the front applied.

Figure 2 is a front end elevation of the device showing the sides closed with the front endgate in position to form a tight wagon box.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a. plan view of a segmental portion elevation of the back end Figure 9v is a perspective view of a modified form of bolster stake.

, Figure 10 is a'perspective view of a modified form of bolster.

Figure '11 is a detail sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 10. 20

taken on the line l2 of Figure 5.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detailsectional view Referring to the'drawings in detail, wherein like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference numeral [0 indicates bolster supports spaced apart and fixed to bolster stops ll; said members being rigidly secured together by bolts l2;- Mounted on the supports I0 is a plurality of transversely arranged bolsters 13, preferably formed rectangular in cross section of wood and secured in place by bolts [4. Each'end l6 of the bolster is somewhat contracted and projecting beyond the adjacent support In. Mounted on the bolster I3 is a tight floor I 1' which serves as a bottom for both th box and the rack.

I have provided side members [8, also formed tight,-of any desired width, preferably of about one-half the width of the floor H. For pivotally securing the lower edge of each side member-l8 to the corresponding side edge of the floor,- I have fixed to the outer surface of each side [8 -a bolster stake I9 for each end member [6, said stake being preferably formed of metal having a back 2| and tapering sides 22, the lower ends of the sides having a reinforcing crossplate 23. The end stakes [9 have at their upper ends a cross plate 24, while the intermediate stakes I9 have at their upper end a truss bar 26 having its ends mounted between the upper ends of the end stakes l9 and the upper edge of the side 18, and fixed to the stakes by welding or rivets. See Figure 4. The stakes are secured to the sides l8 by rivets or bolts 21. The lower end of the back member 2| is cut away at 28 for the purpose hereinafter made clear.

For pivotally connecting the lower ends of the stake 19 to their respective bolster portions I6,

I have provided what I shall term a hinge bracket 29. The bracket 29 comprises a, bottom portion 3|, a top 32 and sides 33. The bottom 3| is somewhat shorter than the top 32, while the outer ends of the sides 33 extend beyond the top to form spaced flanges 34 adapted to receive between them the lower end of. the sides 22. of the bolster stakes l9. A bolt 36 provides; means for pivotally connecting the stakes and hinge brackets. The inner ends of the members 3|, 32 and. 33 form a socket for receiving the contracted portion [6 of the respective bolster l3; Thebracket is fixed in position by bolts or rivets, 3]. The lower end of each side member 22 of the bolster stake I9 is provided with an opening 38 adapted to align with an opening 39 in the members 34,,

when the stakes are in. an upright position, and with openings 4| whenthe stakes are ina horizontal" position. Bolts 42 provide means for fixing the stakes, in either of said positions. The inner edges 43 of the lower ends of the stakes are adapted to engage the under face of, the p1ate32 when the side member l8; and the stakes are in a horizontal position to provide ositive and rigid meansiorlimiting the downward movement of the outer edge of'said' side member l8 when used as a. rack without the use of auxiliary braces or chains. The. bolts 42serve to limit the upward movement. of the. outer. edges. of said side members to prevent unnecessary bouncing of the sidesjwhen empty, and the, vehicle is moved rapidly over the ground surface.

T ebottom edges. of. the side members 8 are adapted to be supported above and. rest. on the side. edges of. the. floor. Whenin anupright position as shown in Figure to. form a, graintight joint. The. bolsters are. preferably made. of wood. They might beformed of standard structural U. bars. of pressed sheet. metal. as illustrated. in Figures 1.0. and 11; each. end of, the. top Of the body, 44-being; cut away. toformnotchesA-B tore:- ceive the stake 19. Opening 41. is. rovided. for t11e:holts;36- andho1es48 and.49. for. the bolts 42. The, inner faces of. the front and. back ends, of the-sideshave angle irons 5| toserve as stops. for endgates 52 and 53.. The back endgate. 53 is formed preferably of an upper. section. 54. anda.

lowersection,56.. The upper section is reinforced .by. channels 51v and; the, lower sectionwith oppositely arranged. channels 58. The upperv end of the channels 58. are pivoted to-the lower. ends, of the channels 5'! to permit the lower; section to move to, open position. for. dumping the contents of, the box. Theunper section-isfixed to the angle ironsSl by bolts 59. Thelower edge. of the-member 56 is detachablyfastened: to the; angles 5| by; latches 6i. projectin through. slotssz in the angle: 5| as; clearly. illustrated in1Figure,12, and locking by rotatingthe 1atch=90..

The front. andback, ends of the box are tied together by the usual endgaterods 63. In the practical operational; my mprovei x a d ack. assuming that it is. desired to convert the box, illustrated in Figures-,2, 3, 4; and 5,, to ,the rack illustratedinFigures; 1; and 6,.the operator, first removes; the rods 63: and, the front. endgate; 5,2. Bo s 59 are: then r m ved from the; an les 5 and the latches 6| are-then released, permitting 4 the endgate 53 to be removed. Bolts 42 are then removed permitting the sides I 8 to swing to a horizontal position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, with the upper edges of the member 43 engaging the plates 32 and the inner edges of the member 23 engaging the outer edges of the member 3|. The bolts 42 may then be replaced. The upright front rack 64 may then be placed in position, the lower. ends of. the upright 66 being placedinstrap '61, secured to the frontbolster I3, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an improved wagon box and rack combination of simple, durable and rigid construction, which is adapted to be easily and quickly converted to either a wagon box or a rack, wherein the owner might deliver a load of bulky material such as hay or. straw to market with the side members l8 lowered to horizontal position to serve as a rack; and return with a load of heavy material such as:lime,.in which case the side members l-B are closed with the endgates in position toform a tight box without: having to make an extra, trip and without having to change the rack for abox as is customary at this time. Furthermore he is not required to provide extrastorage for the box or rack not used;

I claim:

In a device of the: class described, a bolster having each. end. terminating ina socket rec?- tangular in cross section and having extending sidev wall to form spaced flanges; abolster stake for. each end of sai'cl' bolster; supported normally in. a. vertical position each. stake comprising" a.

back having outwardly, extending; and spaced sides the bottom, and top ends of'the outer edges of. said sides. eachhaving acorresponding; upper and lower cross bar fixed thereto, means pivot?- ing the lower, ends of.the,stakes,to the corresponding flanges. of said. bolsters. to swing from said vertical position to. a hOXfiZontal position with the said lower ends of said stakes. agi the under surface of the top of. said. bolster socket, with the. lower edge -of.saidlower. cross .b aragainst the outer end of the. bottom. of; said" bolster" to limit the downward movement of. the freeend' of the. stake, said flanges andstakes each having an opening and. a1 cooperating. pin. for locking, the stakes in either. vertical or horizontal position. MIKE PODNAR.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references; are. of recordiinthe file ofjthispatentr UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date.

134,996 Luttgens Jan. 21,1873 464,632, Dicken Wu-" .D.ec..8, 1.891 526,261 Rhoads. .Sept.. 1.8,,1894 711,434- Mock; s 0012.14, 19.02 780,299 Marlay. I Jan. 1'7, 19.05 953,509 Bird Mar. 29,1910 1,281,145 Cruise Oct. 8, 1918 1,328,130 Crandall i Jan..13, 1920 2,054,122 Eisenberg, Jr. 2.. Sept. 1-5, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7 632,039 Germany July, 1,1936 

